Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Dessert Pizzas on a Cracker-Thin Crust (and how to make cake flour)

CINNAMON SUGAR DESSERT PIZZAS
ON A CRACKER-THIN CRUST
"A crispy crust with a classic cinnamon sugar topping."



FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH:
1 to 1 1/4 cups bread flour, divided use
3/4 cup cake flour (see directions at end of recipe to make your own*)
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast OR RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
Cornmeal

FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 cup butter OR margarine

For best results, you will also need:
Pizza stone
Bench knife OR wide spatula
Heavy rolling pin
Exhaust fan over oven

TO MAKE THE PIZZA DOUGH:
Combine 1 cup bread flour, cake flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup water and mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Add additional flour, if needed, to form a soft dough.

Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you. Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of the dough.)

Place dough back in mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours.

TO SHAPE THE PIZZAS:
Prepare the topping by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter in a separate bowl.

Place a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack. Preheat oven to 550 degrees F, or as high as your oven setting allows.

Punch dough down. Divide into 8 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a very thin (1/16th-inch) circle on a floured surface. The shape doesn't have to be perfect! To achieve a very thin crust, try these tips: roll dough until very thin. Now, carefully pick up the thin dough and turn it over - roll again. Use a bench knife to help you get the dough off the surface for turning. Use as much flour as needed to make sure the dough is not sticky. Frequently flour rolling pin. Once the dough is rolled as thin as possible, it is ready to be baked.

Place crust on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel, flat baking sheet or the back side of a jelly roll pan. Make sure that the crust moves freely (doesn't stick to the pan). If it is sticking to the pan, gently lift dough and add a little more corn meal. Use a fork to "dock" or make lots of little holes in the crust, about 1/2-inch apart. This prevents the crust from puffing up during baking.

TO BAKE:
Slide the crust off the pizza peel or baking sheet onto the preheated stone in the oven. Use a long-handled spatula to help transfer the crust if needed. Close the oven door as quickly as possible to keep the oven hot. Bake 2 to 5 minutes or until crust has browned patches.

When done, remove crust from the oven with a spatula and place on wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough portions.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar mixture; return to oven for an additional 2 minutes. Remove finished pizza from oven to cutting board. Cut into pieces and serve.

Allow the oven to cool before removing the pizza stone and follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning. Excess cornmeal tends to burn so be sure and use your exhaust fan.

*If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Pizza crusts can be made and baked, but do not add toppings. Place cooled crusts in resealable plastic freezer bags OR wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze up to 1 month. To use, thaw at room temperature. Add toppings and bake 2 to 3 minutes in a preheated 550 degrees F oven on a pizza stone.

HOW TO MAKE CAKE FLOUR:
Place 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch in a 3/4 cup dry measuring cup. Fill remainder of cup with all-purpose flour. That's it!

Makes 8 (8 to 10-inch) pizzas
Source: Fleishmann's Yeast